There are three kinds of conservatives now: Never Trump conservatives, who always thought an unconventional politician like President Trump posed a threat to America; MAGA conservatives, who adore everything Trump does; and folks like Rep. Dan Crenshaw from Texas, a former Navy SEAL who genuinely believes when Trump is right he’s right and that he’s wrong when he’s wrong. Crenshaw isn’t afraid to call Trump out for either one.
Known initially for his surprise campaign win and then for his stint on “Saturday Night Live” after Pete Davidson made fun of his eyepatch (Crenshaw lost his right eye due to an IED he encountered on his third tour in Afghanistan), Crenshaw is quickly gaining a reputation for something politicians rarely have: nuance.
On Thursday, following Trump’s obnoxious tweets about the late senator and war hero John McCain, Crenshaw tweeted in response:
There is just no reason to be talking about Senator McCain after he has passed. He is not your poltical enemy Mr. President.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) March 21, 2019
Yet, on the other hand, following the release of Attorney General William Barr’s letter on the final Mueller report, Crenshaw also tweeted a strong defense of the President:
You. Have. Been. Exposed.
Stop the charade. There was no collusion.
You used your unique position on the Intel Cmte to convince the American people that you had access to evidence of collusion.
You lied and misled in order to pursue your political agenda. Move on. https://t.co/9GRVkBmeVS
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) March 25, 2019
In an interview with Crenshaw Friday morning at a breakfast joint in Houston, I asked him about this trait, which seemed to match the rest of his personality: steady and unemotional, yet articulate and straightforward.
“It’s important … to just be intellectually consistent,” he said. “It’s a good strategy. Trump himself respects that. He respects the fact that I will disagree with him. Just don’t insult him. The problem a lot of Never Trumpers make is that they only become a Never Trumper. There’s no reason to do that. Call him out when he does good things too. He does good things, so let’s recognize that.”
Crenshaw agrees with Trump, for example, on declaring a national emergency at the southern border, though he believes it “could have been handled a lot better.” Crenshaw clarified:
Still, Crenshaw’s stellar military service played a huge role in Crenshaw becoming the nuanced politician he is: You don’t earn two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart, and a Medal of Valor after five tours in Afghanistan without having a steady hand, a clear head, and a courageous spirit. But even a SEAL might feel hesitant to disagree with their commander in chief so pointedly.
Crenshaw doesn’t hesitate, and certainly doesn’t regret it. Why? “Because McCain isn’t around to defend himself.”
Nicole Russell (@russell_nm) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a journalist who previously worked in Republican politics in Minnesota.
Update: This piece was updated on March 27 to include more context for Crenshaw’s quote about the Constitution.
